Alliance Agreement

AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCEBETWEENTHE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABORANDTHE NATIONAL SERVICE, TRANSMISSION, EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION SAFETY NETWORKANDTHE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); the National Service, Transmission, Exploration & Production Safety (STEPS) Network; and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA, the National STEPS Network, and NIOSH hereby form an Alliance to work together to prevent fatalities, injuries, and illnesses in the United States onshore exploration and production sector of the oil and gas industry.

Through the Alliance, the organizations will use relevant data, such as injury and illness data, workers' compensation experience, and data on known and suspected exposure to hazards in the United States onshore exploration and production sector of the oil and gas industry to help identify areas of emphasis for Alliance awareness, outreach, and communication activities. The Alliance will also explore and implement selected options to evaluate the effectiveness of the Alliance and measure the impact of its effort to improve workplace safety and health for employers and workers. In signing this Alliance, OSHA, the National STEPS Network, and NIOSH recognize that OSHA's State Plan and On-site Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort, and that information about the products and the activities of the Alliance will be shared with these partners for the advancement of common goals.

OBJECTIVES

OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION

The Participants intend to work together on the following outreach and communication activities:

Develop products, including fact sheets on the leading causes of fatalities in the industry and videos on key safety and health hazards in the industry.

Distribute Alliance and OSHA materials to employers and workers.

Provide technical review of OSHA materials.

Support the efforts of NIOSH and the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Oil and Gas Council to collect and analyze surveillance data, and disseminate reports summarizing fatal injuries in the industry.

Work through the National STEPS Network's Emerging Issues Focus Group to address key safety and health hazards in the industry.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

The Participants intend to work together on the following training and education activities:

Provide support for the OSHA Oil and Gas Safety and Health Conferences

Provide support for oil and gas safety stand-downs

Provide guidance and resources for development of training for employers and workers in the industry, including new and temporary workers

IMPLEMENTATION

OSHA's alliances provide parties an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as raising awareness of OSHA's rulemaking and enforcement initiatives, training and education, and outreach and communication. These alliances have proved to be valuable tools for both OSHA and its alliance participants. By entering into an alliance with a party, OSHA is not endorsing or promoting, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that party's products or services.

An Implementation Team made up of representatives of each organization will meet with OSHA representatives at least twice a year, to direct and oversee the conduct and progress of the Alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives from appropriate national and/or field offices. OSHA will encourage State Plan States' and OSHA On-site Consultation Projects' participation on the team.

The Implementation Team will develop a work plan with specific measurable objectives. The plan will identify projects and actions to implement the projects, identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants, and include projected timelines for key steps. The plan will also include provisions for developing and implementing methods to evaluate the impact of the Alliance's activities.

This agreement will remain in effect for two years. Any signatory may terminate it for any reason at any time, provided they give 30 days written notice. This agreement may be modified at any time with the written concurrence of all signatories.

Signed this 2nd day of December, 2014

David Michaels, PhD, MPHAssistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health

John Howard, M.D.Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health